The 1st 'English Education Cross-link Forum', a New Dialogue Venue for English Education, to be Held in Tokyo on June 27 (Sat) with the Theme 'AI and English Education'

We are pleased to announce the launch of the 'English Education Cross-link Forum', co-sponsored by Asahi Press and the English Education Cross-link Forum Organizing Committee. This new initiative serves as a venue connecting diverse individuals involved in English education—including teachers nationwide, practitioners, educational administrators, researchers, publishers, and those interested in the field—to discuss the state of modern English education from multiple perspectives. The first lecture event will be held soon.

The purpose of this forum is to connect English education stakeholders from various positions, such as practice, research, and business, allowing them to bring their knowledge and experience together to deepen new understandings. It aims to be a place where participants with diverse awareness of issues gather, encounter each other's ideas, and explore the possibilities of English education through dialogue. The goal is to provide practitioners in the educational field with suggestions useful for tomorrow's teaching, while simultaneously encouraging deep discussion on the essence of English education. The common theme for this memorable first event is 'AI and English Education', and we intend to deepen the discussion from both practical and theoretical viewpoints.

Common Theme: 'AI and English Education'

[Keynote Speech] 'AI and English Education--Humans in the Loop'
Shigenori Tanaka (Professor Emeritus, Keio University / Representative, PEN Language Education Services)
Passing the first quarter of the 21st century, education stands at a fundamental turning point. In an era where AI processes knowledge, what is human learning, and what kind of educational model is required? To answer these questions, the reorganization of education has become a pressing issue, and English education is no exception. In this presentation, I will focus on the light and shadow of AI in the context of education. Regarding the shadow, I will address the possibility that over-reliance on AI may lead to a decline in thinking and memory skills, the fact that no matter how sophisticated AI is, it cannot replace the human endeavor of 'getting hurt, taking responsibility, and growing together', and the danger that creativity, emotions, and diverse ways of learning will be neglected due to an overemphasis on 'quantifiable academic ability'. I will also sound the alarm on the commercial pitfalls lurking behind the attractive phrase 'individual optimization by AI'. Based on these points, the main subject of this presentation will be 'How to utilize AI in English education'.
*Note that 'Humans in the Loop' means 'Keep a humanistic view of teaching (learning) front and center', from the standpoint of the US Department of Education and the OECD.

[Special Lecture] 'Going Further Because of AI - Extending English Learning and Designing to Support Self-study'
Shunsuke Takagi (English Teacher, Seiko Gakuin Junior and Senior High School / Member of the Foreign Language Working Group, Curriculum Subcommittee, Primary and Secondary Education Subdivision, Central Council for Education, MEXT / Google for Education Certified Trainer)
'If we have AI, do we even need to learn English?' In an era where such voices are heard, what do we teach, and what do students learn? In this lecture, I will introduce the practices I have accumulated over the four years since introducing AI into my classes, despite hitting walls along the way. Through specific initiatives currently running in the field—from lesson preparation and activity design to feedback—I hope to consider with the participants what a 'design where AI extends learning and supports self-study' actually looks like. I hope to deliver hints that can be taken back to tomorrow's classes, both for those who want to start using AI and those already using it and seeking further deepening.

[Greeting and Lecture] 'New Design of English Classes Changed by AI Learning Apps - Continuation of Super Practical Examples of Shadowing Instruction'
Nobutaka Mihara (English Teacher, Nada Junior and Senior High School / Chairman, English Education Cross-link Forum Organizing Committee)
What I focus on as a teaching practitioner is 'learning management'. As the number of autonomous learners decreases, Nada High School is no exception. In particular, the instruction and continuous learning management of shadowing—which forms the foundation of listening skills but is difficult to visualize—has been a long-standing challenge. English learning apps have answered this challenge. In this lecture, as a sequel to the well-received shadowing instruction from last time, I will introduce concrete materials, time allocation, and the ideal form of instruction and evaluation utilizing apps as 'super practical examples'. I will speak in a way that is easy to understand even for beginners, delivering hints that can be put into practice tomorrow.

Speaker Profiles
Shigenori Tanaka (Professor Emeritus, Keio University / Representative, PEN Language Education Services)
Completed his Ph.D. in the Graduate School of Columbia University (Ed.D., 1983). After serving as a professor at Keio University, he is currently a Professor Emeritus there. Representative of PEN Language Education Services. Specializes in linguistics, semantics, and educational theory; also knowledgeable in inquiry-based activities, PBL, SDGs, and AI and education. Chairman of the Language Advisory Committee of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) (2005-2012), Research Director and Honorary Director of ARCLE within the Benesse Educational Research and Development Institute (2005-